Facts About Lab-Created Diamonds
Diamonds have always been a stone of status and power but, often, they are out of reach due to their high price. However these days, there is an alternative: lab-created diamonds. The composition of a lab-created diamond compared to a natural diamond is identical; however, the cost is potentially much lower. There are currently two processes in place to make lab-created diamonds for use in jewelry, cosmetics and tools.
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History
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Since the 1950s, scientists have cultured diamonds out of graphite produced under temperatures as high as 2,500 degrees and pressures 55,000 times greater than the earth's atmosphere. However, the stones were impure and too small to be useful. In the past decade, scientists discovered a chemical process and a high pressure, high temperature process to "grow" larger and purer diamonds, similar to real diamonds produced naturally.
Chemical Process
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The chemical process used today to make lab-created diamonds is called chemical vapor deposition. During the process, diamond seeds are placed in a vacuum chamber and heated to more than 1,800 degrees. While heating, a carbon gas cloud is passed over the seeds, crystallizing carbon on top of them, which causes the diamond to grow.
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HPHT Process
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The HPHT, or high pressure high temperature, process is an enhanced method of what the scientists were using in the 1950s. The process requires more than 2,000 degrees of heat and 50 times more pressure than the earth's atmosphere. Diamonds created by high pressure and high temperature have more nitrogen in them and thus appear more amber-colored. This process is much less expensive than the chemical vapor deposition process and thus the stones that are produced are cheaper than those produced via chemical vapor deposition.
Uses
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With diamonds being created in labs, they are readily available for a wide range of uses. They are currently used in loudspeakers, cosmetic skin exfoliants and high-end cutting tools. Of course, they are also used in jewelry settings and can cost just as much as natural stones. They can also be colored in pink, blue, mocha, champagne or other hues.
Expert Insight
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It is very difficult to distinguish between a lab-created diamond and a genuine diamond. There is no difference in the chemical makeup of a natural diamond from a lab-created one. In fact, without lab testing, gemologists would have a hard time detecting which stone was natural. One process to identify a lab-created diamond is to cool it in liquid nitrogen, fire a laser at it and analyze the way the light reflects through the stone. This process can take several hours.
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References
- Photo Credit diamonds 5 image by Renato Francia from Fotolia.com
